Mortal Kombat: Mileena's True Mask
by The Nickname
Summary: Shao Khan is dead and Kitana has found Mileena with a thirst for justice, but soon discovers a side of Mileena's disturbed mind that she wasn't expecting. Alternate timeline where Liu Kang, Kitana and the others are still alive. - Rated T for violence and swearing. - Reviews are encouraged.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you absolutely sure that she was last found here?"

Over the remote land within earthrealm, within the vegetated regions of Canada, a helicopter was sweeping across the tree tops. The American military had received info that a high priority target had been located within the region. However, the people of earthrealm were not the only people concerned by this information, considering the identity of the target herself.

Kitana, the young and vigilant princess of Edenia, had requested to join the military in their efforts to find and capture the target. Kitana had been dreaming of this confrontation for years, ever since she had first met the strange and unnatural creature they were currently seeking.

Despite this, she wondered to herself why the target would hide in such a remote part of the world. It went against everything she knew about this person, though there was honestly little that she had come to know in the given time.

"Affirmative" the pilot replied, "A couple was reported dead at the hands of an unknown wild animal". "Or at least that's what the police are obligated to say" the man beside her added, "We have seen the bodies. The most remarkable wounds were missing segments of skin on their faces".

"I hope you're all sure that this is my… 'Sister'…" Kitana grunted whilst recoiling before her allies. The blonde woman sitting opposite to her offered a smug grin and replied "We had sampled the saliva from the bite marks. It's a match".

Ever since Shao Khan had been defeated and the Outworld's invasion had been crippled, Mileena had practically disappeared from all worlds, never having been found until now. To think that her sister had managed to remain hidden for several months and had been found somewhere so far away from where she was last seen, it was truly ludicrous.

"General! We are nearing the target" the pilot announced, prompting the passengers to view the environment ahead of them. Along the steep outline of a mountain, perched upon a stable clearing of flat land, sat an old building.

"An abandoned environmental research facility" the blonde general described, "A place like that can't have been used since the forties". "A pretty clever hideout" the bulky celebrity admitted "Out miles in the middle of nowhere in a building that nobody cares about".

"I wouldn't consider Mileena to be clever… personally…" Kitana deflated at how infantile she had just sounded, "But we have to bring her into custody before she can disappear again". Kitana's eyes narrowed, the desire for competition emerging in her expression, "I'd give anything to finally put her in her place".

"Wait a minute, Kitana!" Sonya warned, "We want Mileena alive. If she has any information on the Black Dragon clan or any of our other enemies, we should put it to good use". "The affairs of earthrealm do not concern me, Sonya" Kitana explained, "I had only joined this mission for personal reasons".

Sonya sneered at the princess, and Cage simply looked away in preparation for a potential catfight. "But if your wars follow a path to her downfall… you can at least rely on me to that extent" Kitana concluded.

Finally, the helicopter prepared to land out of sight from the structure, the pilot considering a stealthy approach to this capture. They landed within a clearing along the edges of the mountain, the clearing obviously used as a road to reach to building during its operation.

Kitana jumped out as the helicopter whirred down, before she turned to face her allies. "I will capture Mileena myself" she informed, though Sonya was quick to answer "Kitana, you may be a princess on your world, but I'm still your better as a military commander".

"I have defeated Mileena many times before, and I can certainly defeat her just as easily now" Kitana reminded the general, "If I have not returned with her draped over my shoulder by the next twenty minutes, _then_ you can come to aid me".

Kitana took her leave and made her way to the building, Sonya looking on as she muttered "I miss the days when I was the only stubborn bitch on the team".

Kitana cautiously made her way in through the main entrance, and was greeted by the foul stench of age. Lint, dust and the thick aroma of vegetation invaded her senses with nauseating effect.

However, she regained her bearings and snuck quietly through the main hall of the building, listening carefully for any sign off her evil twin sister. Even if Mileena had known that she was in the building, she was far too deranged to try and be subtle about her whereabouts. Finding her would not be the hardest part.

There!

Suddenly, Kitana finally heard the sounds of machinery whirring into motion from down the left wing. She quietly sprinted as the noise quickly grew louder and louder. Soon, she came to a stop and turned to the door on her left, the door labelled 'resting quarters'.

"The bedroom" Kitana thought to herself, "Of all the places… I should've suspected this one". She listened carefully through the metal door and found the room to be completely silent, only small and indeterminate noises remaining.

Finally, she made her decision and carefully twisted the handle, slowly enough to hide her presence, and pushed the door open. She peaked through the gap, only to be met with complete darkness. She crept inside and examined her environment, puzzled by this strange layout.

The variety of available beds that she had expected were completely absent, replaced with a series of shelves that house several different tools. The whole room looked more like a workshop than a bedroom.

As she crept through the series of shelves, a light at the end of the aisle finally loomed into view, shining from her left. She flattened her back against the shelf and peaked cautiously around the corner.

There she was.

With her back turned away from the shelves, Mileena was sitting quietly at a desk facing towards the wall. She was tinkering with something, but Kitana couldn't see what it was. "What the hell is she up to?" Kitana thought to herself as she watched.

Soon, Mileena's arm extended outwards, a needle and string equipped between her fingers. She began sewing the unknown fabric, and soon began humming a tune to herself.

Kitana was taken aback by the song she hummed, remembering it as a melody from her childhood that her mother would sing to her. This clone shared many of her memories, and this fact disturbed her beyond anything that she had known about this woman.

Mileena stopped sewing and lay the needle on the table, before exhaling with satisfaction. She grabbed the fabric and held it up to the light, showing a silhouetted facemask to the confused princess.

Mileena took either strap and placed the mask over her mouth. She sighed again as she stood up from her seat, stretching wearily and yawning. She turned around and Kitana hid behind the shelf, Mileena walking passed her without acknowledging her sister's presence.

She wandered to the corner of the room and stopped in front of a mirror, finally revealing her masterwork to the horrified princess.

It was the skin off a person's face. Sewn with creamy coloured string and sporting a pair of red lips on the open mouth, the face straps in a lilac colour that offset the realistic design of the entire mask.

Before she could begin to comprehend this grizzly craft, she noticed Mileena clench her fists and growl under her breath. "Need a new face… I'll find one tomorrow…" she croaked, her voice oddly raspy.

Having had enough of the insanity she was witnessing, Kitana finally revealed herself from the shadows and stepped out from her cover. "Hello, sister!" Kitana mocked, Mileena turning around in surprise as her serpentine eyes fixed upon her own.

"What!?" Mileena wheezed, "How did you find me?"

Kitana simply answered "We found the bodies. I suppose you have put their skin to use" before pointing towards her facemask. Mileena's eyes shut as she felt her 'cheek', "Didn't wanna do it… such nice faces…wanted them…".

The more Mileena talked, the more her voice began to strain, possibly from the lack of use over the months. "The military are here as well… You're coming with us" Kitana warned. Mileena's widened in shock from this news.

"NO! THEY CAN'T!" Mileena suddenly screamed as she lunged at her sister, but Kitana jumped back with ease. Kitana took out her blades as Mileena drew her Sais. Strategy was out of the question for Mileena, as she began mindlessly slashing and stabbing in Kitana's direction.

Due to the predictability of her sister's attacks, Kitana found it easy to dodge out of the way of her attacks and land a well-placed kick against her sister's throat. Mileena stumbled back in a daze and collided into the mirror, toppling it over as she fell against the floor.

The mirror broke underneath Mileena and the shards drew several drops of blood from her elbows and shoulder. The kick had taken her facemask off, leaving her mouth exposed. She grunted as she regained her senses, looking up to see Kitana in a prepared stance.

She looked back down at the mirror and saw her face in the dim light, find herself greeted with a hideous and chaotic series of teeth. Kitana was ready for her sister to continue her futile barrage of attacks, but was confused when Mileena simply sat and stared at her reflection.

Mileena didn't move or even speak, but soon reached for her dropped Sai and gripped the handle. Kitana readied her fans, but then lowered them when Mileena looked up at her, the blade held upside-down in her hand.

Without warning, Mileena plunged the blade into her waist, before screaming in pain and startling Kitana. A second stab to the stomach was followed by more stabs, her waist leaking vast amounts of blood from the many puncture wounds.

Kitana screamed in a panic and ran to Mileena's side, grasping her sister's hand and pulling the Sai from Mileena's weakening grip. Mileena choked violently and fell forward, but Kitana caught her and held her upright.

"No…let me… please… let me do this…" Mileena swooned before she collapsed in Kitana's arms. Kitana was too shocked to comprehend what she had just witnessed. She lifted the dying clone and held her in her arms, carrying her as quickly as possible out of the room.

As she left, she heard the sound of footsteps from down the hallway, though she could already guess who it was. From the corner, she saw Johnny Cage and several marines running in her direction.

"What the hell happened in there?" Johnny yelled as they both stopped in their tracks. Kitana ran alongside him back to the main entrance, explaining "She tried to kill herself! She needs to get help!"

As they left the building, a pair of helicopters were waiting outside, the propellers already whirring in preparation for a swift take-off. "Pilot 1, we have one friendly and one wounded!" Johnny called into his radio. Kitana was lead to a helicopter and Mileena was laid carefully in a prepared gurney.

Mileena was hastily bandaged and sedated before she was lifted into the helicopter, Kitana sitting in a seat beside her and watching her as they began to take off. She was incredibly confused by the events that had just occurred. She looked down at her twin and sighed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this… but I hope you live".


	2. Chapter 2

Mileena had now been in containment for three days.

She was held in the containment cell W1C9 in the American military depot of Washington, and had remained silent for a majority of her confinement. Guards and security cameras had been overwatching her every movement, or they _would've_ if she had moved at all since she was dumped there.

Kitana had been denied access to Mileena's cell wing and had sworn to approach her comrades about an agreement. She entered the strategy room and found Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage and the newly arrived Jax awaiting her.

She was offered a seat but denied it, preferring instead to stand at the opposite end of the table. "I have been denied to speak to Mileena, and I've come here to find out why" Kitana declared in a regal manner.

Sonya stood up and cleared her throat "Don't take it the wrong way, Kitana. We believe you when you said she attempted suicide". Johnny then added "We just feel that, if she is suffering any imbalances, we should keep her as calm as possible".

"I have seen the lengths your people have gone to imprison her. She has no hope of escaping" Kitana reassured. "You're missing the point, Kitana. We have faith in our security" Sonya replied, "We're more worried about the problems that _you_ could cause".

Kitana fixed a stare upon Sonya, her blue eyes burning with suspicion as she asked "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Look, you have been a great help in Mileena's capture" Sonya commended, "But with the very personal relationship that you two have, it may end up jeopardizing any chances to gain information".

As much as she didn't want to believe it, the human woman was right to think this. Kitana was aware that she could let her emotions get the better of her, and that Mileena would do the same thing since she was her clon-.

Kitana's thought struck a chord.

"That's _exactly_ why _I_ should see her" Kitana announced. The three table occupants didn't respond, encouraging her to continue. "Mileena is my clone, so if there is anyone who would know how best to treat her, it's _me"._

Johnny leaned back in his seat and waved his finger as it pointed at the princess. "Nnn-nnn-nnot to be… on _her_ side…" Johnny began, immediately earning a curious glance from Sonya, "But… she has a good point".

Kitana held her hands on her hips and began "Strangers had always been a problem for me, from my youth all the way to _this_ moment. It took me a long time to trust you and your people of Earthrealm". The three humans simply nodded as she continued.

"Mileena is going to have this exact same problem. She will never cooperate with any of _you_ … but there _is_ a chance that she can cooperate with _me_ ". Johnny and Jackson were sold on this plan, but Sonya remained sceptical.

"We're willing to accept your proposal… as long as you can assure us that you won't do anything to agitate the prisoner". "Of course" Kitana simply replied as she turned to take her leave, offering the trio the chance to discuss their options.

* * *

Finally, as Kitana began wandering the military base for the lack of better and more engaging options, she noticed Cage and Blade approaching her. She turned and bowed respectfully to them, a habit adopted by her father's teachings, and awaited their offer.

"Kitana, we accept your proposal to speak with the prisoner" Sonya Blade announced, seeming to intentionally avoid placing a name on the subject herself. Kitana could tell that Sonya was attempting to create a professional and unbiased atmosphere on the situation. Kitana respected this.

"When can I speak to her?" she asked inquisitively. "Whenever you chose" Sonya replied as the three of them began walking towards the containment chambers. "We will be watching you two from the security cameras" Sonya continued, "if anything happens or the prisoner becomes distressed, we will have you removed from the chamber".

"I… understand" Kitana reluctantly agreed, irritated by the thought of being ordered around despite her royal position. The three of them were permitted clearance into the containment chambers and they made their way into the main room. Around them were the entrances to the many wings, within each being various rows of containment cells.

"We will make our way to the security room" Sonya explained, "Mileena is held in Containment Cell W1C9". With that, Sonya offered the princess a key card and pointed towards a chamber along the left side of the room.

With her task set before her, Kitana entered the chamber and made her way down the corridor. Along the walls were a series of large, steel doors with keypads beside them, each door sporting the initials 'C1' through to 'C16'.

From the many doors, several different and peculiar sounds would often emit. Screams, curses and psychopathic laughter could all be heard amongst these sounds. Kitana began to wonder what exactly happens behind these cell doors, and by extension, what methods were used by her allies to obtain information.

Ignoring this thought, she finally arrived at the door marked 'C9'. She inserted the card and the door's lock emitted a loud _'click'_. She carefully pushed the door open and found herself in an obnoxiously white room, the light gleaming upon the white tiling on the walls and floor. Definitely a stark contrast to the dark and grainy tone of the rest of the building.

Across the room was a glass pain, connected to a second room with the same appearance as the first. Before window was a series of holes, clearly for enhancing communication between the two rooms' occupants. The opposing room had very few furnishings; an installed wall mirror and a simple bed, and on the bed was-

Kitana could finally see her, her 'sister'.

Mileena sat on the bed, facing away from the window with her head lowered. She was silent and still, and her breathing could only barely be heard by the princess. Her arms were crossed together from within a strange white coat, the coat sporting a series of belts protruding from the back. Quite a peculiar design of outfit that these prisoners must wear.

Kitana stood before the glass and sighed, attempting to relax herself to overcome how nervous she was. "Mileena" she began, but found herself unable to continue her sentence. She decided to wait for Mileena to respond to her awkward greeting.

Mileena responded as her head turned further away from her consultant.

"You didn't… let me die" Mileena stated, her voice sounding even more worn and strained that their previous encounter. Mileena's head raised as she asked "Why did you save me?"

Kitana decided to handle this professionally and answered "You have worked with fath-… _Shao Khan's_ allies in the past. The black dragon clan, Quan Chi's cultists". Kitana then explained "Whatever information you have about them can be useful to us".

Mileena shrugged indifferently, that simple action speaking louder than anything she could have otherwise said. Kitana sighed again and informed "Alright, I've told you why I let you live". She leaned closer to the glass and continued "Now I want _you_ to tell me why you tried to kill yourself".

Suddenly, Mileena swung her head around and screamed "WHY THE HELL WOULD _YOU_ CARE!?"

Kitana was surprised by this outburst, but was even more surprised by the sight of Mileena's face and her arms. Her mouth was restrained beneath a plastic mouthguard, perhaps to prevent her from using her teeth, and her arms were bound into a crossed position by the jacket she wore. She was rendered entirely harmless.

Though her mouthguard restrained her from biting, the plastic was clear as glass and exposed her monstrous jaws in all their glory. Kitana was deeply disturbed by the lengths that were made to prevent Mileena from doing… well, anything at all.

Kitana stared indignantly at Mileena's face as the latter suddenly gasped in horror and turned her head away from her sister. "NO! No no no no! Stop looking! Don't look! Get out! Get away…" Mileena began screaming hysterically.

And then something unbelievable happened, something that Kitana would never have expected from this monstrosity that claimed to be her sibling.

Mileena began sobbing.

Kitana listened to her cry quietly to herself, taken aback by the sound she heard. She remembered the times that she had cried in the past, and Mileena's weeps resembled her own much more than she wanted them too.

There was nothing else she could do. Mileena would definitely not be willing to negotiate in her current state, so the only thing Kitana could do was wait. She made her way towards the door and took her leave, no words spoken between the two.

As the door sealed shut behind her, Mileena placed both of her legs on the bed and crossed them together beneath her. She hung her head as she shifted to face towards her pillow. Her tears had let up as her sudden explosion of distress and panic had finally relented.

How did it come to this? She could've died. Kitana could've let her kill herself. She wouldn't have been a problem for her enemies anymore. So why were they so intent on keeping her alive?

Then she remembered. She turned to face her mirror and saw herself, this monstrous creature that is neither an Edenian nor a Tarkatan. The mirror was there to remind her that she was nothing but this abomination that shouldn't be alive, so why would they keep her alive?

They enjoyed tormenting her.

This was hell.

This was her punishment.

* * *

 **I was wrong in my last chapter. This will _definitely_ not be the final part.**

 **So stay tuned for the next one.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Well _that_ could have gone better".

Sonya paced back and forth with her hands cupping her mouth, attempting in vain to hide her frustration. She exhaled heavily as her arms dropped to her sides, "To be fair, she _started_ to cooperate with you… I can't say I expected that".

Kitana was simply standing before the general with her arms folded, her eyes following the latter as she paced. "I was definitely expecting her to be… well… difficult" the Edenian admitted, "But that breakdown… her tears… I could never have been prepared for that".

Kitana finally stopped and stood quietly. Kitana could practically see the human woman's mind calculating her next intent. Kitana felt uncomfortable with standing aside and allowing what would otherwise be an inferior level of leadership make these decisions for a matter that should mainly concern the Edenian monarchy.

Intendant to remind Sonya of her role for her people, Kitana declared "I believe I should see her again, but at a later time". Sonya turned to the princess and informed "Kitana, we've seen the footage, and we know how you made your conversation personal with her".

"As I said before, personal relationships will be the only thing that my si… _Mileena_ will open up to" Kitana reminded the general, and once again, Sonya could find no rebuttal or reason against this proposal.

"Alright then, Kitana" Sonya began, "I'm giving you a week to convince Mileena to spill her secrets". Kitana bowed respectfully to the general. "But we have little time to spare for uncooperative prisoners" Sonya sternly explained.

"What do you intend for her if I _can't?_ " Kitana's asked as her eyes narrowed inquisitively. Sonya sighed, her disappointment evident from her voice. "If you can't get any information from her by the end of the week" Sonya began.

"We will have to execute her".

This was an outrage. Kitana was appalled by this, the fact that a decision like this were to be made on her behalf. Mileena was of Edenian blood, and her fate should be decided by none except her kin. Kitana felt fit to argue her point, but then pondered her options with more consideration.

"I'm sorry, Kitana. But there is no other way around this…" Sonya huffed, "But until then, you can access her chamber whenever you want". Without anything further to discuss, Sonya made her way passed the princess and took her leave through the main entrance.

As the automated door sealed shut behind her, Kitana found herself enveloped in the loving embrace of solitude, and she was free to slam her fist against the table and relieve her welling frustration.

Kitana breathed as her rage was finally expended, allowing her to finally decide her next course of action without influence. As she did, she soon began to question herself above all else.

Why was she becoming so concerned for Mileena's life?

* * *

The walls in this cell were so white and pure, Mileena actually felt her eyes strain whenever she viewed them. She had little to do while she was bound within this strange outfit, not that she was in a fit state of mind to have done anything anyway.

She was resting in her bed and faced away from the window pain. All she could do with her time was sleep, her dreams providing the only amount of freedom she would find.

Suddenly, startling the captive slightly, the door opened as an unexpected guest entered into the opposite room. The moment she saw her, her still and lifeless form found itself regaining a level of vigour. She cat up from the bed and turned to face her fully.

Her sister stepped towards the glass pane and folded her arms, her eyes peering into her own in a peculiar way. Something about the way Kitana looked at her at this moment made Kitana feel somewhat uncomfortable, as if she was staring directly into her soul and finding the overwhelming blackness in it.

"Hello, Mileena… We have many things to discuss" Kitana explained.

Mileena immediately noticed a difference in her sister's voice since their previous meeting. Previously, Kitana had been extremely cold and emotionless, speaking to her with a regal tone befitting of a ruler. But now, she seemed so much tenderer and vulnerable, somewhat like a genuine family member.

"These soldiers plan to kill you if you don't cooperate with them. You're running out of options" Kitana warned her, "If there is any information that you can offer us about their enemies, now is the time to-".

"Please… I don't know anything" Mileena choked, "I promise". Mileena then stood up from her bed and face fully away from the princess. "Daddy always made sure I didn't know about his plans, and his friends left me in the dark as well" she explained, her voice growing evermore hoarse as she held back her sorrow.

"The military won't accept that… they will kill you" Kitana informed.

"Why is that a problem?" Mileena hung her head slightly, "It's worse for them to just keep me in here alive".

Mileena's words reminded Kitana of her breakdown, how it cut their conversation short. She narrowed her eyes curiously and stated "You never answered my question".

Mileena heard her and immediately knew what she meant. There was no escape from it and she knew it, so she sighed with disappointment and gave an answer.

"Daddy made me to be _better_ than you… to do all of the things that he wanted to _you_ to do… _I_ was supposed to be the perfect one" Mileena began. Kitana had no intention of interrupting, hoping to finally learn as much about the worst of herself as she can.

"But _you_ … you have so many friends… lots of people who like you and prefer you as a leader over me" the captive continued, "Nobody wants to work with me… or to help me. They don't like me".

Kitana raised an eyebrow as she heard these words spill from her sister's grotesque mouth.

"But I know why… it's the way you look… you have the face and the eyes like the rest of them" Mileena declared, her back remaining turned from her sister.

Kitana's memory was suddenly sent back to their battle in the abandoned building. The face mask that she wore, made from human skin.

Mileena was pretending to be normal.

She was pretending to be Kitana.

From this sudden realisation, Kitana felt her heart drop, no matter how she wished she had no concern. She was crumbling in the face of her enemy, finally discovering the side of her sister that she was never able to see.

"When… daddy died" Mileena croaked, finally spilling a pair of tears from her eyes as she spoke these words, "I was stuck here... in Earthrealm… And I could find a way back". Mileena was visible twitching by this point, and sat back down on the edge of her bed.

"You shouldn't come here anymore, sister. They should kill me" she huffed, her will having finally broken right before her superior. Kitana was thankful for her facemask as it hid her expression of concern and pity very well.

Kitana wanted to speak, but couldn't decide what would be best for her to say. Any choice she could make could end up with the same outcome. In the end, Kitana found herself turning away from the pane and leaving through the entrance.

But then stopped and looked back to the captive, who hadn't moved from per position. "Hey… Mileena" Kitana muttered nervously. Mileena's head rose slightly to indicate her attention.

"I'll try and convince them to remove that mirror".

* * *

 **Finally, we're getting somewhere. At least this chapter has had the chance to continue the story better than the last one.**

 **I might be ending the story in the next few chapters.**


	4. Chapter 4

Kitana was sitting quietly in the strategy room of the military outpost, and had been alone with her thoughts for several hours. Her head was resting in her hands as they supported it on the surface of the table.

Her mind was racing from her conversation with Mileena. Long before the war upon earthrealm began, she had known Mileena to be this vicious and ruthless killer, offering no sympathy or shame for her actions. She clearly expressed her Tarkatan instincts whenever she had been in combat, to the point that Kitana would disregard the Edenian attributes that Mileena received from her.

But now, with her trapped in a box and unable to cause harm of any sort, Mileena had become much more benign. She has shown to hate her Tarkatan features and how they, from her views, are responsible for how everyone despises her. She has shown grief and regret for her actions, and perhaps even pity for the people that she may have killed in the past.

She hates herself, her attributes, and her vicious instincts, everything that had been used with the intention of replacing Kitana. Behind the monstrous teeth and reptilian eyes, Kitana couldn't help but see herself in Mileena's personality. It seemed to unfair that a person that was capable of the same good will as herself had garnered so much disgust and detest from what would have been her loyal subjects.

It wasn't Mileena's fault.

Kitana sighed deflatedly as her hands left her cheekbones and collapsed outstretched against the table. She had absolutely no idea what to do about this problem, whether she should have anything to do about or if she should just distance herself as Mileena had suggested. Kitana felt as if she was her younger and equally confusable self, willing to rely on the instructions of others. How she ever thought she could be a leader was absent.

During these thoughts, she was suddenly interrupted by the opening of the automatic entrance, and diverted her attention to it in response. Stepping through it was exactly who she expected, Sonya Blade alongside her beloved Nicholas and their friend Jackson. However, following alongside them was a pair that she had not expected, as her eyes widened with joy from their arrival.

Liu Kang, her lover for many years since Shao Khan's defeat, had arrived in a stylish yet casual business suit. Next to him was her long time bodyguard Jade, maintaining her Edenian maiden garb in its befitting shade of emerald green.

The lot of them approached the princess as she rose from her seat, "Liu… It's wonderful to see you again" she greeted genuinely. Liu and Kitana came together and embraced, Liu stating "We've heard about Mileena's capture and the interrogations".

They left their embrace as Jade added "We came here to decide alongside the humans on what we should do next". Sonya approached a chair at the end of the table and sat comfortably, announcing "With that said, let's not waste any time". The rest of the consultants agreed and found their own seats.

"Well first off…" Sonya began, "I want everyone to keep in mind that the prisoner has two confirmed murders on her hands, and there could possibly have been more". Kitana was disheartened to acknowledge that as much as she had begun to care for Mileena, her crimes remained.

Liu Kang turned to Kitana and asked "Kitana, did she ever tell you why she had murdered those two people?"

Kitana shook her head and answered "She didn't need to. I _saw_ why when I captured her. She made facemasks from their skin". Sonya questioned "Why didn't you tell us that?!" with a shocked expression on her face. Kitana shrugged and answered "Following her attempted suicide and capture, it didn't seem relevant at the time".

"It's disgusting. Making a mockery of the lives of innocence by masquerading as them… She really is a product of Shao Khan" Jade sneered with repulse. "She wasn't…" Kitana objected impulsively, before setting and muttering "She was pretending to be _me_ ".

All eyes studied her with awe and confusion.

"What? Why?" Jade asked with a raised eyebrow. Kitana sighed as her eyes drained of all life, "She said that she felt jealous of me… that everyone hated her because _I_ was the beautiful one". Kitana's guilt was evident in her voice, though her friends felt that it was unwarranted.

"She really hates herself… for what she is. She would even kill herself for it…" Kitana continued, "She's not the monster I had once thought she was". Her friends were becoming ever more confused by Kitana's sudden devotion towards what was once her rival, and until recent evidence has contradicted, as much a conceited tyrant as Shao khan himself.

"She is based on me… and I can see it… she is just a confused and broken product of her teachings. Manipulated and brainwashed into a monster that _anyone_ could be" Kitana explained. She looked away and continued "And her eyes… I could see no Tarkatan instinct behind them… She has lost her will to hunt…".

Kitana's eyes were shut from her own words, too fearful of the concerned and confused gazes her friends must've had at that moment. She had just exposed her sympathy for a killer and now her friends would likely question her intentions, as well as her sanity to a degree.

"We have seen the footage from the security cameras, Kitana" Jax informed the princess, "We already can tell that you've developed feelings for Mileena". Kitana growled under her breath and burying her head into the palms of her hands, further expressing her embarrassment for disregarding her common sense.

"No need for _that_ , Kitana. We _all_ agree with you" Jade informed, immediately inviting a confused glance from her childhood friend. "But that doesn't make a difference in the long run" Sonya added, "Were we in a position to take this to a court, I doubt we could give her anything less than a prison sentence".

"Could we find a loophole?" Kitana asked, before immediately realising how misconstrued her question could be. Before her companions could respond, she corrected her statement with "What I meant is… Is there some kind of detail to Mileena's crimes we could use to our advantage?"

The room was silent. Everyone, including Kitana herself, was pondering Mileena's history from what information they had gathered and compared it to the laws that had been related to Mileena's history. Sonya had stood up from her chair and begun her typical pacing, before she finally stopped to signify her concoction of a plot.

"Kitana…" she requested the princess's attention, "You met Mileena when she was freshly cloned, right?" The princess simply nodded in confirmation, prompting the general to then ask "Can you confirm Mileena's age, then?"

Kitana thought to herself, thinking all the way back to the dark days of the Outworld monarchy. "Well, since she's based on me, she is technically _my_ age" she stated before adding "But as she is… she can't be much older than a year".

Sonya smiled smugly as she snapped her fingers, "In that case… perhaps her parent and guardian could be held responsible for the manipulation of a minor". Sonya turned to her colleague, practically seeing the wheels turn in their heads as she formulated a plan, "It's ironic that among everything else, Shao Khan can be blamed for this too".

"Wait, let me get this straight" Liu stood up from his seat, "We are gonna commend Mileena's murders with the defence that 'she just didn't know any better'?" Kitana stood up and answered "We are… and she certainly didn't".

Kitana looked into Sonya's eyes with a hopeful glance, "Do you think this will work, general?" Sonya simply sigh as she seated herself sighed.

"I dunno… but it's the best we have".

* * *

Kitana had made her way into the prison ward, followed by her colleagues Jade, Sonya and Liu, and managed to obtain access to Mileena's cell. She marched swiftly through the opening chamber door and entered the room, her friends following her inside.

Both the observation room and the yonder containment room had remained as obnoxiously white as before; but in context to the furniture within the latter room, there had been a single distinguishable difference.

The mirror, just as she had promised to her sister and requested to Sonya, had been removed from the wall. She smiled at this as she turned to face the opposite end of the room, spotting a familiar figure sitting comfortably on her bed.

Mileena had her legs crossed and was still bound within her straitjacket, her head bowed in a sorrowful display. From what the princess could tell, the muzzle on her clone's face remained the same, exposing the terrifying maw that Mileena had expressed her hatred for.

"Mileena" Kitana greeted to gain her attention, the latter immediately leaving her tranced state and turning to face her. From all outward appearances, Mileena would have been thought to be smiling, a permanent expression of a grin due to her malformed jaws. But for Kitana, Mileena's true emotions were expressed through her eyes.

She could the sorrow in them, but unlike the other meetings, there was a sense of tire that Kitana could feel. She seemed world-weary, an expression unbefitting of such a young person. Mileena's depression from her stay in this prison had taken a toll on her appearance.

"You removed the mirror for me, sister…" Mileena mentioned in a soft tone, "Thank you". Kitana was slightly taken aback by her sister's final phrase. Mileena had shown to be docile and benign, but never genuinely kind until this moment.

"It was my pleasure" Kitana answered to her, a smile forming beneath her facemask, "We have made plans for you… I have a feeling you will like this". Kitana could practically see the light blooming in Mileena's eyes as she rose from her bed and approached the glass, "I'm listening" she stated curiously.

Kitana cleared her throat and stated "We are prepared to take your case to court and weigh the penalties of your crimes". Mileena immediately became worried and wondered how this was supposed to delight her, until Kitana interrupted her thought process with "However… we are using Shao Khan's responsibility as leverage for _your_ case".

Though this should have brought relief, it had instead left Mileena confused. Those murders, from her perspective, had been entirely her fault; so how could they possibly blame her father for the things that he didn't have anything to do with? This felt like cheating.

"Also… we have agreed that _I_ shall represent your case, Mileena. So you don't have to worry about being seen by the public" Kitana informed. Mileena's mind was spiralling with confusion and curiosity. Two what extent was her beautiful sister willing to perform these generous deeds for her?

Sonya stepped beside Kitana and concluded "On top of that, due to your Edenian bloodline, Kitana has offered to continue the case under Edenian law if it becomes necessary". Mileena felt herself sit roughly against the edge of her bed as she felt unable to form a response for the mercy she had been offered for her evil acts.

"You are all working hard to do this for me… I don't deserve it" the dismayed captive objected, "It would be easier to just have me killed and get it ove-".

"STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE- like that…" Kitana shouted before immediately dropping her booming tone in shock of her own outburst, but it had been for naught. Her friends were surprised by the outburst itself, but not her intentions. Kitana lay her head against the glass and relieved a distressed sigh.

"You have a chance, Mileena. A chance to make up for what you and Shao Khan tried to do to Earthrealm" Kitana explained, "You can be better than him, sister! I _want_ you to be better than him!" Kitana lowered her head as these final words left her lips; she had finally shown her deepest concerns and her true devotion to Mileena, and Mileena would surely be astounded by-

"Thank you so much for this…" Mileena huffed as she raised her head to face her family, "I'll do anything you need". "That won't be necessary, Mileena" Sonya intervened as she pulled Kitana back from the glass, "The plan is set and everything is just about taken care of".

"Perhaps afterwards, in that case" Mileena offered, "I'll be in your service, Kitana. I promise, I'll do anything you ask". Kitana was no less than flattered, but could not pay to have these hopes when the future for her clone remained unconfirmed.

Soon enough, the visitors had all decided to take their leave, eager and prepared to set their plans in motion. Johnny had been preoccupied with discussing the matter with Sonya and Liu Kang and Jade had been sharing their own conversation as they made their way out of the containment chamber.

Kitana was the last to leave, but was stopped when Mileena stepped towards the glass and spoke. "Kitana?" she inquired, and the princess turned to face her with intrigue. "Did you mean it?" she asked, "When you confessed, you called m-". Mileena was silenced when Kitana nodded, the captive noticing a stray tear falling from the latter's left eye.

"Yes… I called you my sister".

* * *

 **Well, the story is just beginning to wrap up. The next chapter will be the final one.**

 **This was definitely my favourite chapter to write out of all of them, and I really had fun writing the dialogue for this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

Mileena had remained attentive for the following time since her sister had made her the bargain. She had always been prepared for when Kitana would inevitably make her return, and was eager to hear whatever news he may have for her.

She sat on her bed and stared blankly ahead at the vacant tile wall, blissful for the fact that the torturous mirror had been removes as a sign of forgiveness from her elder sister. This helped her remain confident that Kitana's intentions were pure and that she would keep to her word.

She had always had much time to think to herself between three times that she would have visitors, but the only memories she could focus upon were her worst. Over and over again, her attempts to murder and torture would return to remind her of the insane monstrosity she was.

But it would also remind her of how undeserving she was for forgiveness from her sister. The woman and monarch who had gone out of her way to provide comfort and kindness to something as vile as her. And to think, she had ever thought that she was ever better than such a kind sibling.

Suddenly, a sound caught her attention, a high pressured gust of air seeping through a sealed frame. A door was opening, and Mileena immediately jumped to her feet and ran around the bed, her eyes set upon the door across the room, her face lit up lit that of a pet whose master had returned.

She stared at the door for a moment, expecting it to be opened, but it wasn't to be. The door remained shut, and Mileena became confused. Had she just imagined the door opening? Why? Was she going mad? The long time she had spent along in this chamber had possibly begun to take its toll.

She soon realised that she didn't know what time it was, or what day, or even if it was day or night. She began to panic, worried for how much time she had spent inside the cell. She can't remember how long ago she had been fed, or even when Kitana last visited her.

Mileena became sceptical and continued to stare at the door, constantly waiting for when someone would enter. After all that time that they had spent and all of the promises that had been made, they couldn't possibly have abandoned her to her fate.

Would they?

Suddenly, she heard the sound again, but much louder than before. The sound of air escaping from a pressurised room passed through the gaps of an opening door. However, to Mileena's confusion, the door to the next room had not moved.

Then once again, she heard the footsteps again, though the sound's source was easier to determine. Though strangely, the sound seemed to be coming from…

Mileena turned around and faced the door to her own chamber, and found it opening slowly. Her spirits were rejuvenated when she beheld the sight of her sister returning to her. She composed herself despite this and refused to crumble beneath her emotions before her sister.

Oddly, Kitana didn't seem to have such rules and was visibly beaming with delight. "Mileena! We did it!" she shouted in excitement. Kitana stepped inside and gripped Mileena by the shoulder, "It took a while to convince the human's court, but you have finally been approved for release".

Mileena was dumbfounded, staring blankly at her without any sign of reaction. Kitana giggled from this and freed her clone's arms. From behind her joyful sibling came the general and her lover, both folding their arms with satisfied expressions.

"It's true, Milly. You'll make bail tomorrow" Cage stated with his suave tone, "but uh… there are some conditions". Mileena shrugged indifferently, unsurprised by this news.

"Kitana's Edenian council have suggested that Mileena would remain in Edenia and be forbidden to enter Earthrealm on her own" Sonya began. "I tried my best Kitana, but even I found it hard to prove my intentions to the council" Kitana sighed with disappointment.

"I don't blame them. They had every reason to not trust me" Mileena reassured, shutting her eyes as she spoke. Kitana then approached and stood beside Mileena, reaching for the straps on her back. While she began releasing the belts that restrained her adopted sister, Mileena noticed that Sonya's hand slowly shifted to her hip. Even now, Sonya couldn't bring herself to remain unprepared for an unexpected attack, and Mileena respected this fact.

"And the murders… what about _them_?" the bound captive asked, her mind suddenly swarming with the gruesome memories of filleting their skin. Kitana was clumsily fumbling with the lower belts as she answered "The Military couldn't figure out who the people were. They settled that they were a recluse couple avoiding the major towns and cities in this world".

Mileena was unconvinced by this, "But I still killed them… that shouldn't make a difference". Kitana clarified "That's why you are being exiled from Earthrealm. Were it not for… _that_ , you would be allowed to go wherever you want".

Finally, the belt that held the clone's arms together was released, and Kitana watched as the arms slipped limply to Mileena's sides, predictably frail from their lengthy lack of movement. The jacket fell forward and slipped from Mileena's body, falling into Kitana's free hand and leaving Mileena in a simple singlet.

From the moment that Mileena could comprehend her freedom, something that she hadn't felt in a while had finally returned, her passion. She wanted to move, to run, and especially to hunt. She tensed her muscled and drew a sharp breath as she fully appreciated her freedom.

She felt invincible, as if she could roam the world as the most feared person in the universe. This freedom was what she had craved ever since her imprisonment, and she could barely contain her lust for action. Had this been before her newly developed relationship, nothing would have prevented her from attempting to escape.

But not anymore.

Her newly freed arms, capable of causing any kind of damage she wanted, were given their first instruction. She turned and wrapped them around her sister, embracing her tightly with her head rested against her shoulder. Kitana was initially surprised, but relaxed in the grip when she finally realised the intent.

"I can't possibly thank you enough for this, sister! There's nothing I can do that would be enough" Mileena whimpered, finally crumbling from her building emotions. Kitana could feel her clone's fresh tears running down her own neck.

Kitana soon escaped the hug and held Mileena by her shoulders, staring into her eyes as tears continued to spill down her cheeks. "We'll be leaving to return to Edenia soon" Kitana warned, "We had best get you prepared for the departure".

Kitana stepped away and offered "If there is anything you would prefer to wear for your travel to Edenia, then you may decide now. Anything you wish". Mileena though to herself and she looked away from the three, her fingers tracing the surface of her muzzle. Without even looking back, she asked "Can I have something to cover my face?"

Kitana's heart sank when Mileena made this request, her head lowering as she relieved a remorseful sigh. She can tell that Mileena would require time to become comfortable with her appearance again, but she knew to try and support her through her recovery.

"I will take you to the palace and offer you a room to stay in" Kitana offered kindly, "Any request you make can and will be granted… with some exceptions of course". Mileena finally met her gaze again and locked their gazes together, Mileena's eyes speaking all the words she needed to express her gratitude.

"Thank you, my queen".

* * *

Mileena had been unbelievably excited for the new life that she was being given, unprepared for what virtues awaited her in Edenia. Despite this, with her excitement came fear, the fear of what potential disrespect the Edenian could offer her from the moment she enters their presence.

She had found herself in the centre of the military base's air field, several soldiers standing in a perimeter equipped with rifles. She pretended to ignore them and continue following her sister, but she could sense their uneasiness. She knew that at any moment, they could open fire on her if she were to do something they weren't expecting.

She rose her head and looked up to her sister, looking past her to find what they were heading for. A fiery portal to Outworld was awaiting the pair of them, perhaps conjured from the other side by the Edenian people. Mileena was not too sure.

To the left of the portal, Jade was watching them with her arms folded, possibly to join them in their return to Edenia. "Kitana's done well to help you, Mileena" she admitted as the pair stopped and stood before her, "To be honest, I had not expected her to succeed". "I'm surprised as well" Mileena replied softly, "Not as much as that wanted to help me at all, though".

From hearing this, Kitana turned to her clone and barked "Stop saying things like that!" with both irritation and anguish in her voice. "You are my sister, Mileena! Remember that!" Kitana instructed, "You are royal blood! And as long as that royal blood is in your veins, you will _always_ have my support!"

Mileena's heart quickened in pace from this shower of praise her sister gave her, and her spirits and respect for herself lifted as a result. She relieved a sigh and asked "When we are in Edenia, what should I do?"

"What do you mean?" Kitana questioned with a raised eyebrow. Mileena shrugged and rephrased her question, "What should I do to repay you for this? I really want to prove myself in any way I can". Kitana and Jade looked at eachother in deep thought, each wondering to themselves of what to answer.

Kitana smiled beneath her facemask and held her sister's hand, "You can be a representative of mine, since you are family as I've said". "Perhaps I can be your personal escort or something like that?" Mileena offered as an example before noticing the irritated glance from Jade.

Kitana noticed this and giggled, "Jade is already my bodyguard. I don't think it would do to make her jealous". The pair giggled together from this joke and Kitana was reminded by how similar they sounded when she hears Mileena's laugh compared to her own.

Suddenly an idea popped into her head, "but… there are other ways to serve the queen". Mileena listened intently as Kitana explained "Well, I have a bodyguard and plenty of servants for… less violent purposes". Mileena instantly became intrigued with where this was going.

"But as far as... A personal assassin goes…"

Mileena's eyes widened as Kitana finished "Candidates have been scarce recently" as she stared at her sister with a raised eyebrow. Mileena held her hands together and stuttered "You mean… me? Your assassin?!"

Kitana nodded with confirmation, expecting to see delight in Mileena's eyes from this proposal. However, contradicting her expectations, Mileena sighed and hung her head, muttering "Killing people… after so many people I've killed before…" before trailing off. She rose her head and admitted "I'm not sure I can do it anymore… I can't be that monster again!"

"You _won't_ be a monster, Mileena!" Kitana corrected, "You will only kill the people that I want you to, but I'm sure that this will be rare". Mileena was unswayed until the princess held her by the shoulders and "There are still many enemies of the Edenian, and I need someone reliable to prevent them from causing any more problems".

Finding the reason behind this, Mileena nodded in agreement and answered "Very well… I won't let you down". Wanting to further prove her devotion to Mileena, Kitana ensnared her in an embrace and held her tightly. Mileena became lax in her sister's arms and shut her eyes, remembering the feeling of love and care Kitana would give her that she had never known before.

Kitana released her and smiled before turning to face the portal once again, the three warrior women standing in preparation. "There is an entire lifestyle of luxury waiting for you, Mileena" Kitana informed as she began stepping into the portal, "I'll meet you there".

Instantly, Kitana vanished from sight.

Mileena smiled as she felt Jade's hand on her shoulder, prompting her to make her step into the portal. As she began her transportation, she thought back to the events that had lead her here, all beginning with her suicide attempt.

Ever since she had spilled her own blood from this night, she had expected to be rid from the world for the monster she was. But thinking back on it, perhaps that attempt to end her own life had had a hand in bringing her here, as well as in her new devotion to a good cause.

She had taken the monster that lurked within her and spilled it upon the workshop floor, freeing herself from the evil that would lead her life ever since her creation. With this thought in mind, she took a step into the portal, being whisked away through time and space to the other side.

What awaited her on the other side would be better than anything than her bastard father could've ever given her.

* * *

 **Well, it's finally over. I'm not very happy with they way that this has ended, but honestly I'm beyond caring at this point. This story started off as a fun Idea and ended up becoming rather tedious in the later chapters for me to write.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed and I hope I haven't left anything that doesn't make sense.**


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